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About Us Shepherd’s Carriage Livery is located approximately 80 miles west of Chicago and most of our business is within a 30-mile radius of the farm, our home. We specialize in special events; wedding and other celebrations during our warm season (April – October), bobsled rides (weather permitting) in the winter, hayrides/picnics/bonfires on the farm almost anytime, and rides in Victorian costumes during the Christmas season for towns and private parties. We work with five Belgian mares; Fawn, our dainty 2200 pound first love, Polly and Fanny, and their daughters, Shy and Sweet. They oversee the operation while we, the “livestock”, do all of the work. Of particular interest to the girls is the putting up of our hay crop of between 5 to 10 thousand bales of smooth bromegrass. They supervise most intently to see that we do it right. We have yet to discover which vehicle is the most popular and although weddings seem to win out as our top event, it is at Christmastime that we find ourselves the busiest. Last year we began the season the day after Thanksgiving and finished the Monday before Christmas. It was everything from a customer appreciation day in Chicago to a surprise ride in the moonlight for a family party in the Wagonette. The Victoria delivered Santa and a six-foot Koala bear straight from an engagement at the North Pole and Australia and gave rides sponsored by the merchants to all the folks in one of our local towns for three weeks. One family has even made coming out for a ride a new tradition. They fill the covered wagon with grandparents, parents and little people as well as cookies and warm drinks for all. We answered the children’s questions as they would each lean over the seat and get a view of the horses and their bells from up high. The adults chatted and sometimes broke out in song as an hour went by on a cold, very damp December afternoon. During the holidays the vehicles are decorated with greenery, bows and ornaments. During other events that’s an option. The larger ones have rope lights (popular and a great safety feature). The stately Victoria looks beautiful with her huge red bow and green bough on either side of her bonnet that remains up all holiday season. Rarely does anyone see the work that goes into an event. Cleaning equipment, clipping and bathing horses, decorating vehicles, preparing clothes as well as accurate paperwork and timely communications are only part of that. Good…no, GREAT horses are the key to any carriage business. Our horses are not possessions they are family, disciplined family to be sure, but family nonetheless. The trust, which is built up all week on the farm as we are together, is paid back to us in crowds, traffic, balloons, and bands when we are out working. We pride ourselves as being the best in our area, but to do that we are constantly working at maintaining and improving ourselves, our horses and our equipment. We educate as well as entertain. Our aim is to give our clients an experience. We want to help them make a memory. It’s like show business. To that end we often find that the audience and the performers are rewarded. We see our service as much more than transportation. We transport your heart.
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